11 Dec 1941
Page 1
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This newspaper page contains 13 articles. Subscribers can read the full text of each article.
Newspaper
Portsmouth Herald
Location
Portsmouth, New Hampshire, United States of America
Date
Dec 11, 1941
Page
1
Secretary of War Stimson announced the sinking of the Japanese battleship Haruna by army bombers off Luzon in the Philippines. The Navy department confirmed the loss at Stimson's press conference.
The notice mandates total灯 off after 6 pm for stores and homes during air raids and allows exterior lighting only when open. It cites Morris Foye as blackout chair and urges rapid compliance. Congress declares war on Germany and Italy with overwhelming votes and President Roosevelt calls for united action to defend freedom.
Professor Kalijarvi led a civilian defense briefing in Portsmouth detailing nine regional areas and local co operations. He stressed air raid wardens as key to civilian defense and urged calm, training, and 15 hours spare time to save lives, with continued notes on page seven.
Residents urged to donate 25 pound or larger sandbags for immediate use by the Portsmouth Harbor Defenses under Col Walter K Dunn US Army. Accepting grain flour potato and other bags at Coleman and Taccetta’s Albany Street the Army and Navy Building Daniels Street YMCA Congress Street and Kittery Town Hall.
Mayor Stewart Everett Rowe decreed a city state of emergency and closed Pierce Island to all traffic. City Clerk Edward J. Hopley issued the official order urging Portsmouth residents to respect the measure.
The Disaster Relief committee of Kittery will convene in the town hall court room with Maj. Judson Hannigan leading. Plans of action will be discussed and interested residents may seek seats on the committee at tonight's meeting.
Portsmouth city council in a special session authorized the purchase of three air raid sirens to be installed in various city sections with the control switch at the police station. The action coincides with the provisional New Hampshire raid alarm standard of 14 blasts twice in succession every 30 minutes.
New Bedford Mass December 11 At least eight bodies and several survivors from the freighter Oregon were brought into port about 22 hours after the vessel sank following a collision with a U S Navy ship. The New Bedford pier was closed to outsiders and details were withheld.
A provisional alert labeled as standard for all New Hampshire communities by the State Defense Council replaces Portsmouth’s earlier warning. It lists the fire station and two plants, the Gypsum Plant and Morley Plant, as locations sounding the 14 blasts.
The session at the Portsmouth Air Raid Warden School features speakers Col W G Knight Col Walter K Dunn Maj Lester W Johnson Lt Laurence Lesperance and Lt Reginald Lennard addressing shelters and blackouts. The film The Warning will be shown with Chief Air Raid Warden Frank J Massey and Deputy Chief Ross Stevens presiding.
Hampshire Tuberculosis association and nurse Loretta A. Landry of Portsmouth announce Poinsettia Day on Saturday to support the tuberculosis drive. Flowers will be sold across the city with urged participation to aid those in need. The event aims to raise funds for the fight against tuberculosis.
Japanese parachutists reportedly seized an airport six miles from Tiagan in eastern Luzon as U S and Philippine troops fight to drive landing forces into the sea along northern and western coasts. An army spokesman said the situation was in hand and coast forces were being mopped up. The Tiagan area lies in Isabela province, about 70 miles south of Aparri and 180 miles northeast of Manila. Authorities round up suspects to curb fifth column activity, including former Sakdalista followers.
Bolivia declares war on Japan becoming the tenth Latin American republic to join the conflict. More than 2,000 survivors were saved from British ships Prince of Wales and Repulse. German forces report vast Russian prisoner and equipment losses. Russians recapture road near Moscow and defeat German armored units. British Eighth Army succession in Libya noted. Italian reports claim a British cruiser bombarded Derna, Libya was hit by Axis planes.
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